This invention relates to articles for brushing and scrubbing surfaces, with flowable materials such as soaps, germicides and antiseptics. More particularly, it refers to delaminable reservoirs, for use in connection with scrubbing implements, containing such flowable materials, and, when required, prior to use, supplying same to the scrubbing implement said reservoir comprising a sealed container, to contain said flowable materials, said container comprising a first member comprising a semi-rigid flat sheet and a formed second member comprising a flexible sheet, the upper surface of which is in adherent contact with the lower surface of said first member comprising a recess, to contain said flowable materials, said recess comprising a bottom wall, a circumferential side wall approximately perpendicular to said bottom wall; and a flange approximately perpendicular to and extending outward from the top of said circumferential side wall and a top opening coplanar with the upper surface of said flange and the top of said circumferential side wall; the seal between the side and proximal end portions of said second member flange and the underside of said first member being delaminable upon application of slight pressure to the portion of said first member adjacent said recess whereby the flowable material is expelled from said recess and enters said implement just prior to being used in scrubbing and brushing the desired surface. In this manner the materials are protected from the atmosphere and other possible deleterious materials and the shelf life of said implement is limited primarily by the shelf life of the flowable materials within said reservior.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,446,issued to the instant Applicant (and incorporated herein by reference) there is disclosed "[a] brush construction . . . " (Claim 1) "the sponge or pad [of which] may be impregnated with or otherwise carry a supply of soap, detergent germicide or antiseptic for dispersion therefrom to the surface being scrubbed . . . " (Column 3 lines 11 to 14.)
However, when thusly impregnated and stored for lengthy periods, prior to use, said scrubbing implements lose their efficiency due to poor shelf life. For instance, the antiseptic expressed from a scrubbing implement previously impregnated with a 0.75% solution of Povidone .TM.-iodine was found to contain only about 0.02% of said Povidone .TM.-iodine after storage.
In addition, the packaging of said scrubbers comprised materials of construction which had poor vapor barrier properties with respect to the dispersants and/or solvents for the active ingredients. As a consequence, the additive composition of implements dried out further decreasing the efficacy thereof.
It has now been found that the scrubber system of the instant invention ameliorates or eliminates the above problems.